Page 40 of Cruel Love

The room was light, and noise filtered in from the hallway. It had to be morning. Mom had checked on me several times during the night, right on the heels of the regular nurse taking my vitals. Getting a good night’s sleep in the hospital was impossible, given the constant poking and prodding.

Each time they’d woken me, I’d looked over to see Aspen curled up on a chair that extended to a small bed. It was enough for her. Mom had brought a pillow and also draped a blanket over her.

“Good morning,” Mom whispered as she returned to my room. “Dr. Mathias wants to run another scan.”

“Is this the last one?” I was so tired of everything. I wanted to focus on getting back into shape and football. Because I’d realized something: I didn’t want to wait until I graduated. I needed to get into the NFL in my junior year. I would talk to Stan, my advisor, about how to fast-track a degree in communications and sports analytics. Maybe it was possible—I could do some online classes senior year so I would be free to pursue my career.

Aspen and I needed to change our circumstances and make sure Grandad had zero influence. Worst-case scenario, I could go to Uncle Lucas, Cole and Damon’s dad. He would help us. I was sure of it, even if Grandad had cautioned him to stay out of our finances, which was my guess.

There had to be other options. I just needed to find them. And for the first time since the accident—no, in my whole life—I felt like I was thinking clearly about the bigger picture.

Mom hung back in my room in case Aspen woke. She was passed out. It was hard not to go to her, pick her up, and tuck her into my side. I wanted to sleep next to her every night. Even the slight distance bothered me.

They took me for the scan, which took less than an hour and showed the doctor what he wanted to see. When I was brought back, they wanted me to remain lying down until they read the results. Mom said there was a rush on the test and that we would get the results within the hour. She had serious pull at the hospital and was obviously liked and respected. But I already knew that.

Back in the room, alone with Aspen, I dozed on and off until Mom and Dr. Mathias entered. Aspen’s eyes opened when he spoke, and she sat up, looking gorgeous with her messy blond hair that always reminded me of surfing and the beach because of the natural platinum and gold sun-streaks.

“The coiling procedure worked,” Dr. Mathias said, and I glanced at Mom’s relieved face to make sure. “If there are no complications today, and I expect none, you can go home first thing in the morning. Recovery is about a week. You may experience some headaches or discomfort and gradually return to normal activities after the week is through.” He paused, narrowing his eyes as he took in all of me. “I mean it. No lifting and nothing strenuous.” He glanced at Aspen. “You need a full recovery. You’re too young, and I don’t want to see you back here until your follow-up scans in six months.”

Mom asked questions, and I let her handle it. She was fully capable of monitoring me at home. If I hadn’t been staying with Mom, I would have made sure she had access to all of my medical records anyway, even though I was over eighteen. Shane and I both did that.

After the doc left, so did Mom. She had to get some sleep before her shift tonight. Shane and my cousins would be by after classes and practice, but Aspen was staying.

“Good morning.” She smiled and sat in the chair close to my recently inclined bed.

“Morning. Thank you for staying.”

“Yeah, of course.” She tucked some hair behind her ear, suddenly looking nervous.

“I remember everything, Aspen.”

Her mouth fell open briefly before she snapped it closed.

“It’s weird, though. I have two sets of memories of you, and they’re kind of disconnected.”

She shook her head, eyes wide. “I’m sure they’re very different. You and I did not get along before the accident. But after…” A soft smile curved her perfect lips. “We did. You were kind, not defensive. And because of how you treated me, I thought I should try to work past my defensiveness too.”

“Things are very different now. I can see our relationship from another angle than before, when I couldn’t let you in. A lot of family drama molded my perspective.”

“I get that. Same here.”

I took her hand in mine. “I know. We need to work through it together because I want more than a separated relationship with only co-parenting for our daughter.”

She closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath but didn’t meet my gaze. Something was wrong.

“Did my grandfather get to you?”

“He did.”

I didn’t like how she seemed to brace herself. Whatever she had to say would be heavy, but I was determined to work through it. Before, I would have walked away, but I wasn’t the same person. I flexed my jaw and reached for her hand.

“He told me that you didn’t want the baby and asked me to get rid of the problem the way he did with your dad—he said he would give me money. Said it was your idea, what you wanted.”

“He’s a bastard. That is not what I want. You know that, right?” I squeezed her hand, hoping to impress my desire to stand by her and our daughter.

She hesitated but nodded.

“What else did he say?”

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